Living in Nanaimo provides the balance of city services and Vancouver Island’s coastal lifestyle. As the Island’s second largest city, Nanaimo offers schools, healthcare, shopping, and a growing cultural scene, all centred around a busy harbour. Families and retirees enjoy oceanfront parks and trails, while commuters value ferry and floatplane links to Vancouver. Housing includes heritage homes, ocean view condos, suburban neighbourhoods, and rural acreages nearby. With more than 30 years on Vancouver Island, I track actual market value and market movement so you can see what daily life and housing in Nanaimo are really like.

Explore Nanaimo Communities

Nanaimo includes a mix of neighbourhoods from oceanfront enclaves to family suburbs. Choose a community to see its lifestyle, amenities, and housing story.

Explore Nearby Islands

The Nanaimo area is closely linked to nearby island groups, each with its own pace of life and housing options. These nearby islands provide quieter living while staying connected to city services.

Discover Vancouver Island Regions

This page highlights what it means to live in Nanaimo, a central hub with ferries, universities, healthcare, and neighbourhoods that range from character streets to new master-planned areas. I have lived on Vancouver Island for more than 30 years and have seen how Nanaimo’s role—and its surrounding communities—evolve with new demand and changing lifestyles. In my professional work I focus on proving actual market value with market movement data, giving both buyers and sellers evidence they can rely on. Use these guides to explore other regions and see how Nanaimo connects with the wider story of Vancouver Island living.